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K. v. HARDMAN Erm.

. BRUSH Filedoct. 25, 195e MV W ATTORNEYS BRUSH Kenneth V. Hardman, Upper Montclair, Arthur J. Lang,

Cedar Grove, and Malcolm E. Doane, Upper Montclair, NJ., assignors to H.` V. Hardman Company, Inc., a corporation of Newlersey Application October 23, v1956, Serial No. 617,811 '1 Claim. (Cl. 15-192)fV The present invention relates to brushes and comprises a novel construction of Vbrush handle and bristle support which is of light weight, of pleasing appearance, relatively simple to assemble and which insures relatively long useful life of the assembled brush.

\ rlhe new brush construction is particularly adapted for use with natural bristles which swell in water but features thereof are applicable to brushes with other types of bristles.` The disadvantages Vof wooden handled brushes are well known. Water andsolvents attaclcthe varnish on the wooden handles and cause swelling which results in loosening and misalignment of the parts. Wooden handles are troublesome to lit because of dimensional changes, according to humidity. They expand the ferrule, pulling nails out. As handles dry, they shrink and allow the metal ferrule to remain b ulged so paint can get in.

The new brush construction of the invention includes means whereby a light weight hollow plastic handle may be readily and rmly joined to a conventional metal fer: rule thereby providing an economical brush of superior quality, of pleasing appearance and of high durability. Briefly the new brush comprises a hollow plastichandle of nylon or the like formed at one en d for reception of a metal ferrule, a block of wood ory of other relatively tough material which is disposed within the .open end of the handle and into which penetrate nails or rivets which hold the ferrule and handle together, the block reinforcing the side walls of the handle to. provide a firm foundation for reception of the nails or rivets. Bristles are received and held in the other end of the ferrule in conventional manner.

For a better understanding of the invention and`of specific embodiments thereof reference may be had to. the accompanying drawings of which- Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a brush embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled handle and ferrule of the brush of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In Fig. l the parts of a bmsh embodying the invention are shown as comprising a hollow handle portion 2 of nylon or other suitable plastic which, if desired, can be made of two sections, one a tip portion 2a which telescopes on to the base portion 2b, a plug or block 4 of wood which is adapted to lit within the sleeve 6 formed on the lower end of the handle 2 and a metal ferrule 8 within the lower end of which are cemented the bristles 10. The handle 2 above the sleeve 6 is formed with a shoulder 12 against which the upper end of the ferrule 8 abuts when the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 2. The handle Z, either as a single piece or in thev two pieces illustrated in the drawings, may be formed in any suitable mold. It could be formed, for example, by blow molding such as is used in the manufacture of plastic bottles. Preferably a passage 14 is formed through the handle to provide means for hanging the brush on a the sleeve prior to assembly of the ferrule to the handle.

hook or nail. The block 4, when the parts are to be assembled, is placed within the sleeve 6 of the handle. The block 4 may be of generally rectangular section as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which case there will be a clearance between the ends of the block and the curved side walls of the sleeve 6. In either case the transverse lsmaller dimension of the block should be substantially equal to the distance between the parallel side walls of the sleeve 6 so as to provide a backing to the sleeve when the ferrule is slid over the sleeve and fastened thereto as by nails 16 and also so as to be frictionally held within If desired the outer surface of the sleeve 6 may be coated with a suitable adhesive prior to assembly thereon of the metal ferrule 8. The use of adhesive, however, is not essential as the nails Vor rivets are suflicient for holding Vthe parts combined in a unitary structure and the fastenersprevent the handle, ferrule Iand plug from being separated in a direction along `the longitudinal axis of the brush.

The bristles l0 are assembled within the lower part of the ferrule 8 and secured therein prior to attachment of the ferrule to the handle. Any conventional method maybe employed in mounting the bristles in the ferrule. F or example, the bristles could 'be rst dipped in a cement while the cement is in owable condition and then, after 'evaporation of the solvent for the cement, the cemented butts could be drawn into or otherwise tted into the ferrule or the bristles could be placed in position in the ferrule and a cement poured over the ends while they are in position in the ferrule, the cement being thereafter hardened.V Any conventional cement may be used.

Although the block 4 has been described and shown as of wood, preferably with the grain of the wood parallel l to the major dimension of the block, other organic fibrous materials could be employed, it being only essential that the block be of tough material that will receive and hold nails. or rivets. A plug or block of sawdust or other organic brous material tightly bound with a suitable adhesive, for example, could be employed but no particular advantage accrues from the use of the more expensive material. Preferably, to avoid accumulation of moisture in the ferrule, the length of the block is made less than the major dimension of the sleeve 6. Thus moisture can run down into the handle and, when the handle is made as in Fig. l of two parts, can be withdrawn therefrom through the end of portion 2b upon removal of the cap 2a.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the invention provides a novel brush of simple and economical construction. The provision of the reinforcing and fastener receiving plug or block within the mouth of the handle makes possible a rm connection between a relatively inexpensive metal ferrule and a light weight moisture and solvent resistant hollow plastic handle and thereby provides a practical and economical bristle supporting structure suitable for use with natural or synthetic bristles.

Obviously various changes in the particular design of brush illustrated, or in the particular materials specified for certain of the parts could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the accompanying claim. For example, although the new construction has been illustrated as embodied in a flat brush, the principle thereof could as readily be employed in brush constructions of circular cross section. Although nylon has been specified as a suitable material for the hollow plastic handle, other plastic materials, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, polyethylene, methyl methacrylate, polyvinyl or polyvinylidine chloride could be employed. Instead of nails or rivets, the fastening elements could be screws. Various other modiications will occur to those skilled in the art.

The following is claimed:

A paint brush comprising a hollow plastic handle having an outwardly ared throat in the bottom portion thereowhich terminates in a hollow attachment sleeve having .paralleli sidewalls, end walls connecting the side walls and a top wall formed by the' throat, all of which walls are formed by means of the exible plastic side wall of the handle the bottom edge of which delineates the opening in the bottom of the sleeve, said attachment sleeve being adaptedrto t into a metal ferrule for the brush to receive attachment fasteners which are forced to penetrate through the flexible plastic side walls of the attachment .sleeve for anchoring the metal ferrule in place thereon, a plug made of wood positioned in the hollow of the attachment sleeve of the handle, said plug being in physical contact with both of the side walls of the attachment sleeve to substantially ll the space between the walls to hold such walls in spaced relationship and prevent collapse thereof when fasteners for the ferrule are caused to penetrate through the exible side wall of lthe attachment sleeve, a metal ferrule having the attachment sleeve of the handle positioned within one end portion thereof, attachment fasteners which penetrate through the wall of the metal ferrule and side wall of the attachment sleeve Aand into the plug which fasteners unite the plug, handle and ferrule into a unitary structure and prevent said handle, ferrule and plug from being -separated in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the brush, a bristle pack positioned in the second end portion of said metal ferrule outside the area of the attachment sleeve of the handle with the top of said bristle pack being positioned in spaced relationship to the bottom of the plug, said plug being smaller in length than the side walls of the attachment sleeve and smaller in height than the distance between the bottom edge of the handle and top wallv of the attachment sleeve and said plug being positioned in the attachment sleeve to leave a space between the plug and end wall of the sleeve and a space betweenthe top wall of the plug and top wall of the attachment sleeve to provide room for the plug to expand lengthwiseand' expand in height without causing the metal ferrule or plastic wall of the sleeve to yield and split open under the stress of expansion of the plug.

- References Cited in the le of this patent u UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,785 Wolcott Aug. 8, 1905 2,512,997l Bixler June 27, 1950 2,532,780 Pettengill Dec. 5, 1950 2,664,582 Kammann Jan. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 50,584v France Sept. 20, 1940 

